From this news story:
"On Monday, President Bush awarded Biscet the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one the United States’ two top honors for a civilian (the other is the Congressional Gold Medal). Winnie and Biscet’s stepson, Yan Morejon , planned to attend the ceremony.
It’s an honor that will cement Biscet’s growing role as the face of Cuba’s jailed dissidents, even though the Afro-Cuban doctor is far from a household name in his own country, where the media are under strict state control."
I have to say that I am conflicted with this. On the one hand, this will continue to create the impression that the dissident movement in Cuba is only a US construct, it isn’t. But on the other hand, Biscet is in prison which is about as bad as one can imagine, and this might raise international pressure on the Cuban government to release him or at least prevent further harrassment.
Because of the Cuban government’s control on information I had not heard of Biscet until after I left Cuba, but since then I have kept up with his struggle and he seems like a decent man, trying to do the right thing, and being turned into ground meat by the Cuban government.